The field of the present invention relates to length-adjustable leather straps for guitars.
Guitar straps are made to hold a guitar via the shoulders at an adjustable length to suit the position favored by the musician. Guitars have different mechanisms for permitting strap attachment. Most guitars have strap nuts anchored to the guitar with screws. Generally, two strap nuts are pre-attached to electric guitars. The lower strap nut usually is located at the bottom (bridge end) of the guitar body. The upper strap nut usually is located at or near the top (neck end) of the guitar body, such as on the upper body curve, at the tip of the upper horn on a double cut-away, or at the neck joint (heel), or sometimes at the lower body end. Some acoustic and classical guitars have only a single strap nut at the bottom of the body. The other end must be tied onto the headstock, above the nut and below the machine heads.
While some guitar straps are formed with lengths of fabric and have protruding buckles at one or both ends for length adjustment, most professional musicians favor leather guitar straps, and particularly those with ladder lock or “H” lock attachment. For leather straps with ladder lock attachment, the strap has a series of slots at each end. A separate length leather strap having a width comparable to the slot opening is provided with one end having a clasp or hole therein. Once a desired guitar strap length is determined, the separate length leather strap is threaded through the slots above and below the face surfaces of the main strap. The separate length leather strap also is threaded through the clasp or hole to engage the leather strap in place. The separate length of the leather strap is provided with one or more openings to engage strap buttons.
One disadvantage of existing leather guitar straps with ladder lock attachment is that length adjustment cannot be completed rapidly. Moreover, it is not intuitive how best to adjust for a desired length. The separate length leather strap has to be removed and repositioned and re-threaded through the slots of the main strap. A third disadvantage of existing leather guitar straps is that the separate length leather strap has portions seated on each face surface of the guitar strap. These raised portions increase the thickness of the guitar strap, make the outer faces of the strap not smooth, and tend to rub against the user's shoulder or back causing discomfort.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,507,889 shows a compression adjustable strap that has a first portion defining a tunnel along substantially the entire length of the first portion to slidingly receive a second strap portion. The compression or frictional engagement between the first strap portion and second strap portion is sufficient to secure the position of the second strap portion. Optionally, the second strap portion may define a row of holes to engage with a post or button on the first portion to maintain the second strap portion in a desired position with respect to the first portion (which the patent calls an “adjustment keeper”). The compression adjustable strap may be used as a guitar strap.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,858,801 discloses a guitar strap that is a band with an end belt coupled to one side of the band by slidably inserting the end belt into a tunnel. The anchor member to hold the end belt to the band may be a hook and loop fastener. One fastener strip is on the external face of the band.
A disadvantage of existing guitar straps with tunnels to hold extenders is that compression or frictional engagement is not sufficient to maintain the position of the slidable portion in a tunnel. A single hole seated over a single point post or button used as an “adjustment keeper” forms an early failure zone for the strap, shortening the useful life of the strap. A second disadvantage is that hook and loop fasteners increase the thickness of the guitar strap and lead to surface wear or cause bulges to form on the strap leading to user discomfort.
Improvements to length adjustable leather straps for guitars continue to be sought. Golf bags and rifle carry slings also would benefit from unencumbered, smooth-surfaced length-adjustable leather straps.